Lebanon promises to take 50,000 workers: Expatriates minister
STAFF REPORTER
The job market for Bangladeshi workers in Lebanon would soon expand with the Lebanese government promising to take 20,000 to 50,000 Bangladeshis, expatriates welfare and overseas employment minister Nurul Islam said yesterday.
He also said two Saudi Arabian companies had placed their demands online for at least 200 Bangladeshi workers. The cost of sending them would be determined after discussions with the Saudi government.
The minister gave this information at a press conference at the Probashi Kallyan Bhaban in the capital yesterday.
During our visit to Lebanon, we talked about opening up the market for Bangladeshi workers in all categories including construction workers, doctors, engineers, and nurses. Both countries have reached a consensus on certain issues including the immediate signing of a MoU regarding the sending and recruitment of workers there, the minister said.
He said new salaries would be introduced for Bangladeshi workers after the MoU was signed.
Among the other issues agreed on, the expatriate ministry would train workers expected to go to Lebanon and the Lebanese government would consider recruiting Bangladeshis in sectors other than those of domestic help and cleaners.
Nurul Islam said the Middle East countries held out big opportunities for Bangladeshis.
The minister said he and his team had been shown extraordinary warmth and support by the labour minister of Jordan, Ali Al Ghezwi, and the labour minister of Lebanon, Sejaan Azzi, and its home minister, Nouhad El Mochnouk, during his recent visit to the two countries.
The minister also said he had discussed various issues with the Lebanese home minister, Nouhad El Mochnouk, and requested him to let undocumented Bangladeshi workers return home without being fined, to grant general amnesty to regularise them and to provide information regarding detained workers.
The Lebanese home minister assured Nurul Islam of taking early steps regarding the illegal workers as per the countrys laws. He also promised initiatives to let women workers staying there without visas return home without having to pay any fine, the minister said.
Regarding the job market in Jordan, Nurul Islam said the Jordanian government had agreed to recruit Bangladeshis after assessing their demands. Besides, the countrys labour minister promised steps to stop physical and mental torture of domestic maids by providing proper food and regular salaries.
At present, around 1.25 lakh Bangladeshis are employed in Jordan and about 1.42 lakh in Lebanon, the minister said.
